Loyalty
by Mariel1
Summary: Written for Calico Heart Cat. Baby Loyal Heart overhears True Heart and Noble Heart talking about Dark Heart, and feels that it's his duty to keep watch by the window. Will he be able to get his point across? Short, one-shot.


Loyalty  
  
It was nighttime in the Kingdom of Caring, and as usual, True Heart and Noble Heart were glad of it. Their days were happy ones, but with all the orphaned cubs they had to care for, their days were tiring as well. Oh, they loved these cubs dearly, but whenever Dark Heart was causing trouble on Earth, one guardian would have to stay and care for all of them while the other one went down to deal with the threat.  
  
Cubs being what they were, they were into EVERYTHING; one cub in particular, a scrappy lion cub named Brave Heart, had a knack for getting into trouble. Loyal Heart Dog, a little blue puppy with a heart-shaped badge symbol on his tummy, had a bit of a reputation as a tattletale; he and Brave Heart often crossed paths, and the lion cub knew to duck and run whenever Loyal pointed his finger. Since Loyal Heart couldn't talk yet, Brave Heart had little cause to worry.  
  
This night was no exception, and True Heart was ready to drop from exhaustion. She was putting the cubs to bed now, and she noticed something funny. She frowned, and gently removed the little blue bow from Loyal Heart's head-fur. "I see Proud Heart and Wish Bear have been trying to give you 'makeovers' again..." she said with a smirk as the puppy giggled sheepishly.   
  
True Heart had just finished tucking Loyal Heart in when Noble Heart entered the room. "He's on the move again." the horse reported tiredly.  
  
"Shhh!" True Heart motioned towards the roomful of sleeping cubs and said, "Not so loud..."  
  
"Sorry." whispered Noble Heart, leading True Heart to the window, thinking that the cubs wouldn't overhear him.  
  
Loyal Heart was still wide awake, and since he rarely made a peep, his guardians often discussed important matters around him. As quiet as he was, it was easy to forget just how alert and observant he was. Now, as his guardians talked, he perked up his ears; this sounded important.  
  
"You said Dark Heart's on the move again...what exactly is he doing?" True Heart asked in a low voice.  
  
"Looking for us...what else?" Noble Heart sighed wearily. "We can't avoid him forever, True Heart..."  
  
Loyal Heart gripped his blanket in tight little fists, and stared wide-eyed as his guardians went to their respective beds. How could he possibly sleep if this big, dangerous thing was after them? Loyal Heart didn't understand, but he did know...or THOUGHT he knew...that his family needed him to keep a lookout. He sat up and climbed over the side of the cradle, but True Heart saw him.  
  
"No, no, Loyal." she told him, picking him up. "It's sleepy time."  
  
"Eh...eh..." he grunted, trying to get down. He needed to be by the window! Couldn't she see that?  
  
"No, you can play tomorrow. Go night-night." said True Heart, attempting to tuck him in again. He immediately tried to climb out again, growing more and more distressed as she tried to prevent him.  
  
Brave Heart groaned, rolling over. "Wanna seep..."  
  
Loyal Heart reached towards the window with a paw, pointing, and began to cry. He had to keep watch! Didn't she understand?  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Noble Heart, coming over.  
  
"I don't know..." True Heart sounded baffled as she picked up the screaming baby and tried to console him. A few of the other cubs whined a bit, but were too old to really be alarmed by this.  
  
No matter what True Heart or Noble Heart did, he would not be comforted. True Heart tried rubbing his tummy, then patting his back...no good. Noble Heart tried pacing the room with him, but since he never neared the window, Loyal continued to wail. As long as they kept him from what he felt his purpose was, he would continue to protest.  
  
"He keeps pointing to the window." Noble Heart observed, bringing Loyal over to the window to see what would happen.  
  
Loyal Heart immediately calmed down, and looked out over the Kingdom of Caring. His cheeks were glazed with tears and his chest was still hitching, but he appeared satisfied. He was fully prepared to keep watch...but Noble Heart moved him away from the window again. Right away, Loyal Heart began to bawl. Noble Heart brought him over to the window again, and again he stopped crying. Noble Heart frowned and took one step away from the window, and Loyal Heart shook his head and pointed.  
  
"I don't understand..." Noble Heart pondered aloud, "There's nothing out there...why does he want to look out the window so badly?"  
  
True Heart shook her head, but Loyal did something that surprised them both.  
  
"Daw Hawt!" squeaked Loyal Heart.  
  
Noble Heart and True Heart gasped. "Did he say 'Dark Heart'?" they asked at the same time.  
  
Loyal Heart nodded vigorously. He KNEW he could make them understand! "Daw Hawt!" he said again, pointing out the window.  
  
The two guardians exchanged a glance, more than a little unsettled. They had worried that Loyal Heart would never learn to speak, and now his first words were 'Dark Heart'!  
  
True Heart looked out the window, then reached over and patted the baby's head. "Loyal, sweetie, Dark Heart isn't here..."  
  
Loyal Heart wanted to explain, but his mouth wouldn't form the words. He whined quietly in frustration, and began to cry again when Noble Heart brought him away from the window and sat down with him in the rocking chair.  
  
"You heard us talking, didn't you?" asked Noble Heart, comprehension suddenly dawning. Loyal Heart nodded his head; that much he could do. Noble Heart rocked the puppy gently, and said, "Loyal, no one's going to hurt you or the others...we won't let them. You don't need to protect anyone just yet...Dark Heart doesn't know where we are, and guess what? We're going to a new, safe place soon. You and the other Cousin Cubs will go with me, and the Bear Cubs will go with True Heart. We'll be safe, don't worry."  
  
Loyal Heart didn't understand much of that, but he did understand the word 'safe'. He finally let himself relax, and he popped his thumb into his mouth as his eyelids drooped.  
  
Noble Heart tucked Loyal back in, and Brave Heart muttered, "Finawwy..."  
  
True Heart sighed. "You're sure about this, Noble Heart? Splitting up the cubs?"  
  
"It's time, True Heart...Dark Heart's getting closer, and the thought of it upset Loyal Heart pretty badly. We're safe for now, but it's wrong to have them living in fear. Poor little guy actually thought he needed to protect us...now, there's loyalty for you." he replied.  
  
True Heart nodded and said quietly, "You're right..."  
  
After making sure the cubs were all settled in for the night, True Heart and Noble Heart went to bed themselves. Tomorrow would be a busy day.  
  
END 


End file.
